Jacksonville sanitation crews take pride in their work

Laughing, Junior Eugene, a backup driver for Jacksonville Sanitation, said sometimes he’ll get a whiff of something and wonder what it is, or guess how old the item with the stench is.

It’s all part of a day’s work for Eugene and the other 42 employees, work that Eugene said he enjoys.

Satisfaction

After his work for the day is done, Eugene said he enjoys driving down city streets, seeing how tidy and orderly they look after he and his co-workers have picked up the trash, debris, or recycling – depending on the day.

He imagines the city manager viewing those same yards, visitors commenting on the beauty of the city, and is proud to know he played a part in it.

While sometimes he likes to point out a specific street he personally helped care for, Eugene said it’s a huge team effort.

That’s what else makes his job a keeper – his superintendent, Kerry Terrell, is one of the best supervisors he’s ever had, Eugene said.

Sitting behind his desk, listening in, Terrell smiles.

Teamwork

“My guys are great,” Terrell said. “We have got a lot of super people here.”

Some trucks work in crews of three with one driver and two people hanging onto the back end, while others use the “one-arm bandit” which requires only a driver. The “bandit” uses an automatic arm to pick up the cans and dump trash into the truck.

On Thursdays, a solo driver in a “bandit” truck takes on the Carolina Forest route, Terrell said, which includes 860 homes that need servicing in one day.

There are three other guys who, when finished with their own routes, head to Carolina Forest to help the driver finish his shift faster.

They never complain, Terrell continued. There’s no moaning and groaning heard in his office because, he said, his crew knows the responsibility they have to the city.

It’s like a family there, said Terry Polk, the administrative assistant who just celebrated her 16th anniversary of working in the sanitation department.

Mother Nature

As with any other outside job, the weather is a factor for these crews.

Tuesday is recycling day and Eugene said when he went out to pick up the broken-down boxes, the cardboard was falling apart.

Driving behind a three-man crew, Terrell said even in the rain two of those three would still be hanging onto the back of the truck.

And weather isn’t the only issue they face.

There’s the risk of back injuries, Terrell said, as well as bee stings and ant bites.

Some dangers can be prevented, and Eugene asked other drivers to please be more careful.

They’re providing a service for you, he continued. Wait a moment until one of them waves you on, don’t blow by the truck – especially one that has people clung to the back of it.

People sometimes think picking up someone else’s trash isn’t a hard job, Terrell said, but his crews are thinking on their feet daily.

They have to have good common sense to make sure everything is taken care of, he added.

Out of the 42, 13 are former military and bring a sense of maturity to the job, Terrell said.

Just ask

“If you have a question, ask,” Polk, who answers many of the called-in questions, said.

The crews out driving will see electronics and appliances on the side of the road but they can’t grab it, Polk said. There are separate pickups for recycling, debris, household trash, and bigger items like couches.

Just because someone puts a fridge out by the road doesn’t mean it’ll be picked up that day, Polk said. It could be there for five or six days before it’s taken away. The issue then becomes not just an aesthetic problem but a potential safety hazard, depending on the weather and the type of item.

There’s also a three-bulk-item limit and bigger items like recliners can’t be thrown in the dumpster, Terrell said.

When someone doesn’t call first it could directly affect the crews.

When a crew member realizes there’s a television thrown away inside a garbage can, Eugene said they have to take it out by hand before dumping the rest of the can’s innards into their truck.

There are policies these crews have to follow, Terrell said, and encouraged anyone with questions to call the Sanitation Department at 910-938-5338.

“We’re here to help,” Terrell said. “When in doubt, call.”

They’re providing a service for Jacksonville, for those who live in the city limits, and they want to do it well.

“The key to what we do and how we do it is people,” Terrell said.

Reporter Amanda Thames can be reached at 910-219-8467 or Amanda.Thames@JDNews.com

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